A manhunt is under way for a British kickboxer wanted in connection with the murder of a US marine in Thailand.

Police are searching the island resort of Phuket for Lee Aldhouse, 28, who is suspected of stabbing Dashawn Longfellow, 23, to death after a fight in a bar in the early hours of Saturday.

Lieutenant Colonel Anukul Nuket said Longfellow's body was discovered at the Yanui Paradise Resort in Rawai, in southern Phuket.

"I can confirm that a man was murdered last night in Rawai and his body is in Vachira hospital. Police want to talk to Lee Aldhouse, a 28-year-old from England, but no arrests have yet been made," said Nuket

Witnesses said Aldhouse, who trained in Thai kickboxing, or Muay Thai, challenged Longfellow to a fight.

When the American, who was on holiday following a combat injury sustained in Afghanistan, refused Aldhouse allegedly punched him in the face and a brawl broke out.

The two men ended up fighting on the floor but were separated by bystanders. Longfellow went home with his girlfriend, Lakmeena Ooijai, a worker at the Freedom bar.

Aldhouse then allegedly walked to a convenience store and grabbed a knife from behind the counter in what observers described as a "drunken rage".

He went to Longfellow's apartment where another fight broke out in which the American was stabbed. While Longfellow's girlfriend attempted to resuscitate him, Aldhouse allegedly made off on a scooter. He has not been seen since.

Ooijai claimed in the Phuket Gazette that Aldhouse approached her boyfriend from behind, before stabbing him twice in the chest. "At first it didn't look like he [Aldhouse] had anything. We didn't know he had a knife because his hands were in his pockets," she said.

Police in Phuket have issued an arrest warrant for Aldhouse, who is a professional Muay Thai fighter and a veteran of several fights in Thailand but who had not fought since March last year.

Aldhouse has previously claimed to be from the US but is believed to come from the Birmingham area. He had lived in Thailand for several years, according to local media reports. The former bouncer has a number of distinctive tattoos.

Police have a copy of Aldhouse's passport and he is known to be short of money, according to the tourism website Phuket Wan. Sources said British officials in Thailand were aware of the warrant for Aldhouse's arrest.